by moore1 | Jun 28, 2017 | News |
Streamlining is a form of structure that lessens resistance and turbulence to air flow. Although its golden age is normally associated with the nineteen-thirties, the first streamlined car, the Rumpler Tropfenwagen emerged in 1921. Streamline-inspired forms were most prominent in aircraft designs, but they were also applied to trains, buses, even buildings with their beautifully rounded frontages, and trucks. Here are a few sleek old haulers, some depicted in their original settings, that might keep you endlessly amused. ...
by moore1 | Jun 24, 2017 | Induction, News, Racing Matters |
But first an amusing, brief story involving a big-block Chevrolet, an intercooler, and freon. By Sam Logan “I’m no authority on intercoolers,” admits performance carburetor specialist Dale Cubic of CFM, “but I do recall a memorable moment five years ago that involved one. Nothing too scientific,” he adds; nonetheless, it seemed an anecdote worth telling. The noted carburetor specialist had visited an engine builder’s shop with a carburetor for a 1600hp 565ci supercharged big-block Chevrolet. The engine was already installed on the dyno and suspended above it an intercooler. Unsurprisingly, with the intercooler connected, the engine improved by 50–80hp. But then the engine builder unexpectedly produced a can of freon, purchased from a local parts store, and reached up and sprayed some of its contents over and around the intercooler. He then hastened to the dyno room and made a pull. “It gained a further 40hp! Spraying freon on that intercooler was like feeding it with nitrous oxide,” remembers Cubic. But the mischief didn’t end there, to further mark the occasion it blew the plumbing off the supercharger! The engine was powered by a small Dominator and a Stage II ProCharger and the freon had condensed the charge sufficiently to pack in more air than anticipated. Intercool or not to intercool? Racers, by instinct, explore every avenue that might lead them to more power. They know that the introduction of compressed air to the cylinders generates heat and excessive heat provokes early detonation. The common solution for expelling excessive heat is to install an intercooler. And similarly with designers of modern turbochargers, who believe that no serious person would...
by moore1 | Jun 21, 2017 | News |
TorqStorm’s co-founder Chris Brooker when asked his response when inquirers refer to his particular centrifugal supercharger as a ProCharger, “I admire what they have done,” he admits. “They’ve dominated the market so extensively that their trade name sometimes supplants the category name – but we’re constantly improving.” In those two sentences, perhaps, is the reason why Brooker and his relatively new supercharger company are progressively becoming such interesting rivals. Here is their latest announcement: a new blow-off valve. TorqStorm Superchargers has increased the size of their compressor blow-off valve from 38mm to 52mm. The new device was a logical step to ease the work load on the supercharger’s compressor wheel—a move precipitated partly because their existing 38mm unit was operating near full capacity and partly because the new 52mm successor offers better control of air. Connected to the 3.0 inch intake tract, TorqStorm’s new blow-off valve features a spring-loaded piston inside the valve’s aluminum housing and a 1/4in nipple on its cap that delivers a source of vacuum. Made of silicon bronze, the piston is closed by the power of the spring and opened by the power of 18psi of vacuum. The effect of the vacuum compresses the spring, allowing the piston to draw away from its seat, thus releasing unwanted boost pressure to the atmosphere through three elongated windows on the valve’s housing. Whoooosh! Now supplied with all new kits, TorqStorm’s compressor blow-off valve measures 2-3/4inches in diameter and 4-5/8in long and is made entirely at their Michigan premises. For BOV upgrades, price including aluminum nipple for mounting to a tube $200.00. More information on how the compressor blow-off...
by moore1 | Jun 19, 2017 | News, Racing Matters |
By Victor Moore Vic Edelbrock Junior was the son and only child of the Edelbrock company founder Vic Edelbrock. He was a distinguished entrepreneur in the American performance and racing industry and died at eighty years of age reportedly from complications arising from a cold. Born 23 August 1936, he passed away at his home in Rolling Hills, California on Friday, June 9, 2017. I first met him around the turn of the Millennium when he came to consider the possible purchase of the carburetor manufacturing operation where I was employed. Mired in debt, it was probably the best investment he never made. During that afternoon, we talked of his racing recreations and how he’d recently competed against Stirling Moss, an experience he related without affection. Apparently, some argy-bargy had occurred on track that had tainted the adventure. Surprisingly, the name Edelbrock is not so easy for some to get their tongue around. Recently, I overheard a seminar that began with the stern warning: “First and foremost” the speaker bridled, “it is not Ed-le-brock it is Ed-el-brock. Say it correctly before we go further,” he insisted. Edelbrock Jr. was an American performance parts producer mainly for automobiles and through his creativity led many to recognize him as one of the industry’s statesmen. He was preeminent during the second half of the twentieth century and maintained a strong presence into the first decade of this millennium. The son of Otis Victor Edelbrock, Sr., Vic Junior inherited the business when aged twenty-six. The operation was known for its engine-building prowess and competition intake manifold designs particularly for racing on California’s...
by moore1 | Jun 13, 2017 | News |
World Products has completely redesigned and re-tooled their famed Merlin big-block to achieve new heights in performance and ease of use for engine builders and racers. Starting with all-new foundry tooling and machining fixtures, World has made improvements to virtually every area of the new Merlin IV with the goal of producing the most technologically advanced and best performing cast-iron BBC block available today. New features include thicker main webs for increased strength and thicker cylinder walls, which are nominally 0.310in @ 4.600in bore. In addition to the standard BBC 9.800in and 10.200in deck heights, further new deck heights have been introduced. These measure 9.500in, 9.850in and 10.250in. Their objectives? To allow greater versatility for specific engine combinations. Furthermore, head bolt holes are blind on all available deck heights and deck thickness is nominally 0.600in. The Merlin IV is available with a 2.120in journal for standard BBC cam and standard 0.842in lifter bores, or with a 2.283in journal for a 55mm Babbitt cam and 0.904in lifter bores. Cam journals up to 2.480in or 60mm Babbitt and 1.060in lifter bores can be accommodated, but are not stocked by World Products. World also has increased the volume of the priority-main oiling system and added a front oil feed for dry-sump oiling systems. Other key upgrades include lifter oil feeds and restrictor provisions, which have been relocated to the front of the block. The new block features siamese cylinder bores in 4.245in, 4.495in or 4.595in., which are finished at 4.250in, 4.500in and 4.600in respectively. Water jackets have been further enlarged for greater cooling capacity. Nodular iron or 1045 billet steel four-bolt main...
by moore1 | Jun 9, 2017 | Engine Builds, News, Racing Matters |
By Freddie Heaney: The sound of the dyno approaching 8,000rpm was almost ear splitting. It was the first Friday of June and sitting in an open wooden-framed space at Charlie Pepper’s engine shop in Auburn, near Atlanta, Greg Brown’s innovative Hemi heads on a Man O’ War 427ci small-block Ford peaked at 928hp at 7,700rpm and generated a maximum torque figure of 674.0lb ft at 6,000rpm. Watch the video. When first tested in mild street form with around 9.5:1 compression ratio the combination yielded 602hp. Quite the accomplishment for unique and previously untested cylinder head designs. But it was not the main event nor might this be. Now, around six months later and using ported heads and intake manifold, higher compression ratio and bigger carburetor, but still employing the same stock-size valves (2.200-inch intake and 1.650-inch exhaust) the engine began the afternoon tests by generating peak power figures in the 850hp range. But with incremental timing and carburetion adjustments it eventually made its way up to a mighty 928 horsepower. Inevitable, I asked? “No, not at all, replied Brown. “Though we increased the flow in the ports from 382cfm / 260cfm to 435cfm / 290 (inlet and exhaust respectively), I would have been happy with peak horsepower numbers of around 850. Remember, ninety percent of all high performance wedge-style cylinder heads rarely exceed 800hp.” Of even greater significance, perhaps the 1250cfm Dominator-style carburetor had proved to be too small during the tests and will be replaced by another that’s capable of generating air flow of around 1450cfm. Was the 1250 carb an ill-advised choice perhaps? “No,” said Brown, “this...
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